Ecstasy seized from postal packages

The Maldives Customs Service seized 111 grams of MDMA or ecstasy from five different postal packages that arrived in the Maldives on March 10.

The seizures included 10 pills weighing six grams posted from Germany, 20 grams of powder posted from France, 62 grams of power posted from the Netherlands, 27 pills weighing 15 grams also posted from the Netherlands, and eight grams of powder posted from the United Kingdom, customs said Wednesday.

The drugs have been handed over for a police investigation.

There has been a spike in cases of attempted drug smuggling through the post. Heroin and hashish oil are the most commonly used drugs in the Maldives, but LSD, ecstasy and other synthetic drugs have been found in recent years.

In January, customs officials seized 1,943 MDMA or ecstasy pills concealed inside a wireless speaker posted from Belgium. The recipient was arrested and a police investigation was launched.

There were 68 seizures from postal packages in 2018, including 1.74kg of drugs concealed in parcels during March and April last year.

In October 2017, 500 ecstasy tablets were confiscated from a parcel sent to Addu City from the Netherlands. Customs said it was one of the largest ‘party drug’ haul of its kind to date in the Maldives.

“We have never confiscated such a high amount. We have found 30-50 pills including ecstasy and sometimes LSD. Party drugs are found more often when it is trending,” a customs spokesman said at the time.